Sunday, September 01, 2013

Budapest

The guide I'm reading says: "Budapest is the city of cultural diversity, festivals and thermal waters! Besides its unparalleled beauty, it is best known for its built heritage witnessing several thousand years of history, for its medicinal and thermal waters and for the fantastic Danube panorama."

I was born here and lived here until we escaped and moved to Los Angeles when I was 14. Many years ago. People often ask me what differences i see. For me it's a mixed bag, it is so amazingly changed yet it is the same. Living here at my cousins apartment I feel I stepped in a time machine.

I'm sleeping on a day bed that I slept in as a child. The furniture the porcelain figurines, the dishes all live in my memory.

Szécsényi Bath or Spa as they now call it is one of the oldest. They celebrated it's 100th birthday this year. Yes folks it's been here and well used for a 100 years. I came here with my mother and my mother came here with her mother.

It's a Saturday afternoon and it was packed. It's located in the heart of the city in the large park which we call Liget. Now they are calling it a Spa vs. the baths. i guess that term sells better to the foreign visitors. They offer spa treatments.

They have renovated and restored the place beautifully!

Fish Pedicures!

This is new, fish pedicures were brought here recently by the large Asian population residing here. It's fascinating, you just stick your feet in a fish tank and all these little fish start munching away your dead skin.

The cost is 3,000 Hungarian Forints for 15 minutes. (About $13.00 U.S. Dollars or 10 Euros)

This is brilliant, no human is involved except for taking your money. Come in put your feet in the water and pay.

I've had a hard time keeping track of the currency exchange, here is my high tech cheat sheet. Hungarian Forint to U.S. Dollars. 1,000 Forint = $4.40

As we strolled in the park with the weather really perfect, my cousin Vera pointed out that there are little fish in the pond. If I wanted I could just dip my toes in there and it's free. (Ha Ha)